H.—2B

1919 NEW ZEALAND.

FISHERIES COMMISSION. REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS.

Presented to both House* of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

To His Excellency the Right Honourable Arthur William de Brito Savile, Ear] of Liverpool, Member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of - the British Empire, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, Knight of Grace of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, and Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies. May it Please Your Excellency,— Whereas by an Order in Council dated the Bth day of October, 1918, the Board of Trade was authorized and empowered to inquire into the matters following : — (1.) As to whether the price charged for fish to the public in Auckland is reasonable : (2.) As to whether the trawling-area of the Hauraki Gulf should be further restricted or further extended, and the reasons for the finding : (3.) Whether any limit has been imposed on fishermen on their catches of fish, and the reasons for such limit (if any) : And whereas the Board of Trade was further authorized and empowered by such Order in Council to delegate to the undersigned all or any of the powers and functions in respect of the inquiry and report thereby authorized : And whereas in pursuance of such order, by appointment dated the 10th day of October, 1918. the Board of Trade delegated to the undersigned all its powers and functions in respect of the inquiry and report authorized by the said Order in Council : And whereas by an Order in Council dated the 19th day of December, 1.918, the Board of Trade was further authorized to inquire and report — (4.) As to whether it is possible to avoid taking fish below the size or weight prescribed by the Fishery Regulations in trawl-nets having a mesh of the prescribed size, and, if not, whether the size of mesh should be made larger ; and further (5.) Whether it should be made lawful to sell any undersized fish which may be taken in the authorized nets : And whereas the last-mentioned Order in Council did further authorize and empower the Board of Trade to delegate to the undersigned all its powers and functions in respect of the inquiry and report thereby authorized : And whereas by appointment dated the 6th day of January, 1919, the Board of Trade delegated all its powers and functions in respect of the aforementioned inquiry and report to the undersigned : Now, therefore, in pursuance of such orders and appointments, we the undersigned have the honour to report as follows : — The Commission held public sittings for the purpose of hearing evidence and addresses of counsel at the Thames, at Helensville, and at Auckland, and sat for this purpose on twenty-five days. In response to the invitation of the Commission the following parties were represented by counsel and brought evidence before the Commission : The Northern Fishermen's Union ; the Auckland City Council; Sanford Limited ; a number of Auckland fish-dealers ; and the Marine Department was represented by Mr. L. F. Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries. In addition to the evidence brought before us the members of the Commission, by the courtesy of Sanford Limited, had the advantage of a trip on a trawler. They also visited the Auckland Municipal Fish-market, the works of Sanford Limited at Auckland and Thames, and the works of the Thames Fisheries (Limited) at the Thames ; and at both the Thames and Helensville they visited the wharves used by the fishing-boats, and examined the gear employed in the industry.

I—H. 28.